Nokia runs into hurdles over transfer of India factory to Microsoft

Nokia has asked a court in Delhi to revoke a freeze on its factory in India over a tax dispute, ahead of the proposed acquisition by Microsoft of its handset business

From Network World:

he Delhi High Court had earlier ordered the country's Income Tax Department to release bank accounts held by Nokia, but continued a freeze on the factory in Chennai in south India in connection with a US$331 million demand from tax authorities over taxes for mobile phone software licenses.(

Nokia has now asked the court to lift the freeze by Dec. 12 at the latest in view of the Microsoft acquisition, which it still expects will close in the first quarter of 2014. "Should the freeze be lifted, Nokia expects a successful transfer of its Indian factory assets to Microsoft," the company said in a statement.